Teo Ser Luck
Singapore
“Mr Chairman, Sir, in the initial days when I set up offices overseas – whether it is China, Kuala Lumpur or Jakarta – I used a translator for the local contracts as well as for meetings. Lately, I have been using online platforms, especially in China and also in Malaysia.”
“So, in this day and age, with the world changing really fast, and with social media and information overload, how is the SPF or how is the Ministry going to maintain that public trust and confidence in our Police Force?”
“We have to put in some of these funds, for example, the $300 million additional funds put it into agri-tech, would the agri-tech in future provide a more comparative and affordable pricing for some of what it produces or these technology startups would be able to scale overseas, globally, have a commercial aspect to that.”
“Chairman, I am a heavy user of technology. And when I started on a technology project, I created a first layer of programming and algorithm where the machines started to learn. With more data collected, more and more, the machine gets smarter and it could make intelligent decisions or informed decisions for me.”
“We have tight regulations on financial institutions in their lending platforms and also non-bank lending platforms in regulating them, making sure that they do not go beyond their means to lend out to those that they cannot do the Know Your Customer survey or assess their credit readiness.”
“I believe there are three aspects of transformation that will impact the workers directly. First, the job redesign, change in the process, change in the scope of the job. Second, job shift, the job itself is no longer available and they have to change sectors. Changing sectors also requires a mindset shift.”
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“In addition, LTA also works with other agencies like URA, NEA, SCDF and SPF to carry out joint inspections or enforcement operations in locations where walkway obstructions could also lead to fire safety or public nuisance problems. I will now turn to cycling. Mr Ong Kian Min asked for an update on the progress of our National Cycling Plan. He also asked if there were sufficient cycling paths and bicycle parking facilities. Sir, cycling is now clearly a transport option and for this reason, we have formulated the National Cycling Plan to cater to our society's growing cycling population. In July last year, I launched the first dedicated cycling path in Tampines Town. Since then, we have launched another cycling path in Taman Jurong. There will be many more to come. Response to these cycling paths has been enthusiastic. For example, Mdm Wu Qiaojiao, a 50-year-old Taman Jurong resident interviewed by Zaobao, said, "It is now more convenient to cycle to the MRT station, which makes cycling feasible as part of the journey to Jurong East Central." In the coming months, we will launch more new cycling paths in Yishun, Sembawang and Pasir Ris. Our consultations with local communities on their cycling needs have been productive. Their suggestions have helped us refine our plans to better meet residents' needs, resulting in an addition of 15 km of cycling paths to our originally planned cycling path network of 30 km. LTA is also working closely with the two new cycling towns of Changi-Simei and Bedok on the provision of cycling paths. By 2014, we expect to have rolled out at least 50 km of cycling paths in the various cycling towns, and a comprehensive network of 16 km of cycling paths in the Marina Bay area.”
“For example, LTA will work with the community to find the right balance on issues such as the siting of bus stops and the routing of bus services to best meet the overall needs of the community. To Mr Hri Kumar's question on Upper Thomson: our focus is on enhancing our public transport network by allowing the less mobile segments of our society even more convenient access to MRT stations. We selected the pedestrian overhead bridges that are just beside or next to the MRT stations. I understand that LTA has met the grassroots leaders and the MP himself to implement some of the other measures to make sure that the roads are safe for the elderly. Examples of improvements are colour-contrasting continuous pedestrian footways, installing and extending railings in the centre median to discourage jaywalking, making sure that there are additional "Speed Check" and "Slow Traffic" signs and markings along the road. We will continue to monitor the effectiveness of the measures and also the situation. Assoc. Prof. Fatimah Lateef has raised the concern that encroachments on our public walkways could undermine some of our efforts to improve barrier-free accessibility for pedestrians. Under the Street Works Act and Fire Safety Act, public walkways have to be kept free of obstructions to enable the smooth passage of pedestrians and to ensure fire safety. LTA and SCDF have a minimum clearance width requirement for such walkways to ensure that articles such as tables, chairs or merchandise placed on our public walkways do not impede accessibility. Over the past three years, LTA has issued an average of 490 notices of offence per year.”
“Elderly persons who make use of the pedestrian crossing at Ang Mo Kio Avenue 8, near the Ang Mo Kio bus interchange, to access amenities, can do so at a pace more suited for them. With the success of the pilot, I am pleased to announce that we will be rolling out the "Green Man Plus" scheme to 500 more pedestrian crossings island-wide starting 2012. On the screens, Members can see how this looks like [indicating slide shown to hon. Members]. The elderly can look forward to a more conducive walking experience at these locations soon and timing can be adjusted to be extended depending on the length of the pedestrian crossing. Mr Hri Kumar has asked if there are plans to introduce more at-grade signalised crossings in place of pedestrian overhead bridges. LTA puts in at-grade crossings where possible. However, it also has to factor in the impact on traffic. Where the demand and traffic conditions allow, LTA will explore the provision of traffic light crossings at the road-level. 5.15 pm Assoc. Prof. Dr Muhammad Faishal and Mr Wee Siew Kim have also asked if our bus services are designed with the elderly in mind. As Minister Raymond Lim mentioned earlier, LTA has now taken over as our Central Bus Planner and this has improved the integration of our public transport network. LTA works closely with the community to understand the specific needs of each neighbourhood, and with the public transport operators to implement route improvements where majority of the commuters will benefit. Let me assure Members that the needs of the elderly are important considerations as LTA works towards a public transport network that would become more convenient and have seamless connections for commuters as a whole.”
“(In English): Sir, LTA has completed the feasibility studies and will install lifts on not just one, but six POBs near existing MRT stations. These stations are Aljunied, Bishan, Kranji, Yew Tee, Sengkang and Khatib. The installation of lifts at these POBs are to enhance our public transport network by helping the elderly and less ambulant gain even more convenient access to our MRT stations. These POBs were selected because they are located next to the MRT stations and there are no barrier-free alternatives nearby. We recognise that the elderly and the less mobile prefer at-grade crossings. Hence, lifts are only considered at such POBs next to MRT stations when alternatives such as at-grade crossings or ramps are not feasible. We also take into account the technical feasibility and cost-effectiveness of the installation of these lifts, including checking the usage levels of the overhead bridges. Members would agree that it is prudent, and that we have to be prudent, that public funds be used wisely and to the best possible effect. LTA will call the tender for the retrofitting works by this year and target to complete the works by 2013. We will also be making further improvements to help senior citizens cross our roads more comfortably. LTA conducted a pilot to allow senior citizens to extend the pedestrian "green time" at selected signalised pedestrian crossings using their senior citizen CEPAS concession cards. Mdm Khaw Geok Choo is one of the beneficiaries of the pilot. She told us that she was glad to have the lengthened crossing time at one of the pedestrian crossings chosen for the pilot.”
“About 40% of our buses are now wheelchair accessible. Seventy-nine Wheelchair Accessible Bus Services are now running. This is a 75% increase from the 45 services a year ago. We are on track for the entire bus fleet to be wheelchair accessible by 2020. All our MRT stations are already wheelchair accessible with at least one barrier-free route and wheelchair accessible toilets. By the end of this year, LTA will complete the installation of ramps and additional lifts at 16 MRT stations. The result is that seven in 10 MRT stations will have at least two barrier-free routes. Commuters are already seeing the benefits. To give an example, 85-year-old Mdm Wong Lay See was happy to see Khatib Station outfitted with extra ramps. She walks through the station everyday to get to the market. Her son told us that the ramps made a lot of difference to her as she finds her journey safer and more convenient. Her fellow resident, Mdm Woon Eng Say, was also pleased with the change and she is now able to push her nephew's stroller up the ramp on her own. And we are pushing ahead with additional accessibility measures. Now, I go on to lifts for pedestrian overhead bridges (POBs) near MRT stations. Er Lee Bee Wah and Mr Charles Chong have requested for lifts at pedestrian overhead bridges, especially those near MRT stations. I hear Mr Charles Chong. We will not leave his residents in the air, and will make sure we have a way to bring them down. And, of course, Er Lee Bee Wah, in particular, has raised this issue for four years as she has stated. (In Mandarin): Our MP, Er Lee Bee Wah, over the last four years has been advocating for her residents. Here, I would like to say to her that: do not lose heart. One day, eventually, you will get it.”
“Sir, our vision for the Land Transport Masterplan (LTMP) is a people-centred land transport system. We realise that with Singapore's changing demographics, our land transport system needs to cater to the accessibility needs of all our people and keep pace with diverse and changing expectations. Assoc. Prof. Dr Muhammad Faishal, Mr Hri Kumar and Mr Wee Siew Kim have asked whether our transport system is ready for an ageing population that will become increasingly less mobile. The short answer is that we have made good progress but we will continue to do more. To use a football analogy, the goal posts are always moving and not static, and this is why we will have to refine our strategies to continue to stay in the game and make sure we do not score our own goal. We embarked on our effort to improve the barrier-free accessibility of our transport facilities island-wide in 2005. We did so precisely because we wanted to increase the accessibility of our transport system for the ageing population with more elderly and mobility-impaired persons. We have made good progress over these past five years. All road facilities such as pedestrian walkways and public roads within a 400-metre radius of all MRT and LRT stations have been made barrier-free since 2007. Barrier-free enhancements have also been made to all pedestrian facilities on our major public roads. Ninety-five percent of bus shelters are now barrier-free. The rest will be upgraded later together with future re-development works or when they are due for replacement because of current severe site constraints. All new bus interchanges, such as Ang Mo Kio and Boon Lay, have been built with barrier-free facilities. We have also begun upgrading the existing bus interchanges, and the remaining 16 will be barrier-free by 2012.”
“But more importantly is what these athletes have already done – they have brought glory to Singapore, they have won world championships, they have also helped to bring up the level of competing sports standard in Singapore and internationally, and they have put us on the world map. I understand and share the same sentiments of the Member on the specific case of her friend. And as my Minister has mentioned, we will take note of this case and we want to ensure that it is a fair selection standard and a fair selection trial. It is not just a fair selection trial but a training system that will enable and give opportunities for our athletes to be trained and to become champions. Most importantly, it is the mental attitude of the athletes and the commitment, sacrifice and passion that the athletes must have in order to be champions.”
“Sir, I have said that quite a few times in my speech about the objective of having FSTs. I did reiterate it. Let me reiterate again that we are not just importing foreign sporting talents today. What we want is for the National Sports Associations to focus on developing the system, and the annual funding for the NSAs is on the programmes, not on the athletes or import of foreign talents. So, the NSAs focus their efforts on developing the system. And if the system and the platform are established and progressive, any talents, whether foreign-born or local-born, can be successful if they are willing to work hard. That is exactly the sporting system that we are trying to build and the eco-system that we are trying to bring into all the NSAs. That is also the reason why the annual funding, since last year, has begun to take a longer-term view, a multi-year planning, and that is the objective. If a sports association feels that there are some sporting talents who will be able to lift the standard of our sports and can help the entire national team to bring glory to Singapore and they can lift them up to the next level, we will not discourage that. Most importantly, the sports itself must have the training and development from youth to senior team, and there is a process that is established. That is the most important thing. As for the FSTs, 33 out of 994 are foreign-born athletes and they are now Singapore citizens. I cannot name all the sports as I do not have all the data but there are some sports, as Members know, have foreign sporting talents and they are also public knowledge, eg, badminton and table tennis.”
“For team sports, it always takes time. But let us not give up on the Singapore Team. I am sure we will make some headway and they will bring glory back to Singapore again.”
“Sir, about football. If Members had watched the World Cup, before the World Cup started in South Africa, I think we were pinning hopes on some of the tier one or top-tier teams like France and Italy. I think everybody knows what happened to them in the World Cup. They were knocked out in the first round. That is surprising to some, but that is also not surprising to others in Europe. Why is that so? Because the competition and the intensity had gone up. It is the same all over the world. Football has been viewed greatly and is of top priority for most of the sports administrators in the world. More money has been pumped into this sport. So is Singapore. But we want to make sure that the investment is put in the right areas and the right aspects. So we put into youth development. We have seen how our football squad in the Youth Olympic Games did. There is a lot of hope. So we must now put the investment in the right place. Mayor Zainudin, who heads the Football Association of Singapore, has the will and determination to revamp the whole system, and we want to be able to support that. Disbanding the national team is just the first step, but the national team will come back. With good training and system, the best players will be selected. Revamping the S-League is also in his plan. He will grow that League and grow all the clubs. Then we will have a better environment. SSC will support the youth development scheme, which is the entire youth development system over five years. That is why this year we give them a more than 50% increase compared to previous year, to invest in these young talents. It will take time. The other countries are coming up very well. Malaysia, as an example, has won the Suzuki Cup. But we must not give up, because there is still hope.”
“I thank the Member, Er Lee Bee Wah, for her suggestion. We do not kick the ball back and forth. Since the Member is in the table tennis association, we will play ping pong! As Members who are advisors to national sports associations (NSAs) would know, for every single case of National Service, the Singapore Sports Council (SSC) will review the case first, together the NSA, and then present and discuss it with MINDEF. But the final decision rests with MINDEF, because there are other needs and priorities within MINDEF itself which it has to consider. I think we have to respect and consider that there is the issue of national security. So, in every case, there will always be an explanation, whether it is exempted, rejected or approved. As Members know, I have actually cited two examples of successful athletes who played the best games of their lives during National Service. They are good examples. And I encourage Er Lee Bee Wah, in her leadership of the Singapore Table Tennis Association, to continuously make an appeal to SSC if she feels that there is a need, and we can come together to discuss each and every case on a case-by-case basis.”
“We will continue to upgrade our sports facilities to enable competition and training at a highest level and participation for families young and old. We will continue to grow our sporting culture from strength to strength, so all of us, as Singaporeans, will breathe and live sports.”
“That is exactly under the leadership of the Member, Mr Zainudin, who has come up with a five to six-year plan to develop youths as well as to revamp the systems for the league and club. Hopefully, this initiative will be successful and Singapore can look forward to a brighter future for football. In the past decade, MCYS has made consistent and careful investments to grow sports in Singapore. We have achieved some success. Our senior national athletes have excelled in Asian and international competitions and done us proud with their medal tallies. Our youth athletes have showed that they could compete with the very best in the world. They showed that in the Asian Youth Games and the Youth Olympic Games. We have also grown in events like the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon and OCBC Cycling event. Many runners have told me that it is getting more difficult to sign up for the Standard Chartered Marathon because the slots for the longest distance marathon, 42 km, are snapped up in two weeks. An event, like the Sundown Marathon, which is a 100 km event, 600 slots were snapped up in a week. People are running 100 km, more than a marathon. These events have provided Singaporeans many opportunities to get involved as spectators, volunteers, suppliers and sponsors. We do have a sports culture. Going forward, we will continue to identify and develop our youths sporting talents as well. Through the Singapore Sports School and the planned Singapore Sports Institute, we will provide holistic support to our top sporting talents to help them realise their sporting potential without sacrificing their education and career potential. The Sports Hub is being built now.”
“Put them all together, and Singapore can have a world competitve football team. But that remains a dream. Singapore has to start from scratch to develop this youth system and development. That is why we provided FAS a 15% increase in funding for this year as compared to previous years. Two and a half million dollars just for youth development. This funding will go towards supporting development programmes for the under 16, 17 and 18 teams to help them prepare for the 2013 and 2015 SEA Games. With the right investments and system in placed, most of the players will benefit and these young talent will form the nucleus of our national team in future. We have to be patient and wait a few years before football comes back up. The S-League is run by a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Singapore Football Association (SFA). SFA has funded the S-League Club a total of $6.2 million in 2010. This year, they increase the fundings to $8.7 million, or about 40% more, through donations from the Singapore Totalisator Board (Tote Board), and sponsorhips by private corporations, such as Yeo's and Great Eastern Life Insurance Company Limited. The Government does not provide funding to S-League directly nor do we get involved in its operation. The SFA and the S-League are looking at ways to improve the attendance rates for S-League matches. Members know that they have already engaged the services of a sports marketing agency on a pilot initiative – the Young Lions team. I can see that the spectatorship has gone up and, hopefully, it can be maintained and continues to grow. In order to have a good national football team, Singapore needs a good league and good club. We know that.”
“The Football Association is working on a strategic plan to develop the sport. Members know the central to the plan was to develop the youths over five years, provide more opportunities for the young and talented players. The national team is going to be rebuilt. Our youth team has the potential. Most Members probably know that the Youth Olympic football squad won a bronze medal. They beat some of the top youth teams which came from Europe. Our under-15 team won the Hong Kong Football Association International Youth Invitational Tournament this year. They won all the three matches, and the scores were: 3-0, 6-0 and 10-0. This was a very good score for an under 15 and 16 team. We do have some talents. Let me urge Members to look at one of the best football teams in the world, like Barcelona Club. They have nominated three best players in the world: Lionel Messi, Xavi Hernandez and Andres Iniesta. The top three best players come from the same club. What are their similarities? The three of them joined the club at the age of 11, and the other two below 10. What was available to them was not just the opportunity to join the club early but also the environment to train and play competitively and intensively at the highest level from youth. They are still playing together and they have become the best. They are still very young and in their mid-20s. If Singapore can bring our youth footballers, not just to be trained in Singapore and grow them through this youth pipeline, but also to make it viable for them to go overseas to play in these clubs or to train and study in these clubs, maybe in the future, we can produce another Fandi Ahmad, or a quarter of Lionel Messi, or half of Xavi or three-quarters of Andres Iniesta.”
“He told me that he played his best rugby in his life during his NS time because he was exempted and was allowed to train. He would come back for duties but was still allowed to train and he played his best rugby then. There are many other examples like Justin Yew, the national sailor, who was originally scheduled for enlistment in April 2010. He was granted deferment by MINDEF until December 2010 to train full-time for and compete in the 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games. He had already proven himself to be an exceptional sailor, by winning gold medals at the 2006 Doha Asian Games and 2007 SEA Games. He again did Singapore proud at the 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games because he won a gold medal in the men's double-handed dinghy 420 sailing event. He has since enlisted in February 2011 and will no doubt continue to enjoy the support afforded by the scheme to do Singapore proud. MINDEF also considers on a case-by-case basis where athletes may delay enlistment or for deferment to prepare. I cannot speak for MINDEF on exemptions. The Member may want to raise it with MINDEF for them to consider. Let me go to football. Soccer holds a special place in the hearts of many Singaporeans. I have been invovled in soccer in school and social level as well. I know that it resonates with many MPs as we have an MP football team ready to play charity matches. Hence, I share Ms Sylvia Lim's interest and concern for Singapore's soccer. I share her worry and concern when she saw that our team exited from the AFF Suzuki Cup. But, let us do not forget that we have also advanced to a stage where we have never advanced into the World Cup qualifying match before. I agree that the national team may not have done as well as Members like them to in 2010.”
“And this platform is built and it must be long term. As Ms Joscelin Yeo would know, to be a champion athlete, it takes years of development. Even if you have talent, you have to work hard. There must be a process and an environment to groom the talent to become champions. I am happy to note that this year, the multi-year planning has been adopted by most of the NSAs that recevied our funding, and most of them did a three-year planning. We are quite happy to fund them over the three years, like football, over five years. Sir, increasingly, NSAs will be funded according to Olympic cycle, over four years instead of the current yearly funding. We are not going into yearly funding anymore. We encourage them to obtain charities status to qualify for charity funding and tax exemption. Also, it strengthens the governance system. Finally, NSAs can also tap on shared services provided by SSC to relieve themselves for generic administrative services so that they can focus more on sports development. 2.30 pm Next, let me address Er Lee Bee Wah's question on how National Service can be improved to accommodate male athletes. National Service is an universal obligation for all Singaporean males to ensure Singapore's national security. Having said that, MCYS and MINDEF have consolidated efforts to minimise the impact of NS on the sporting development of our top male athletes and their preparation for major competitions. Members know that there is a SAF sportsman scheme that allows athletes with medal potential time off and full-pay unrecorded leave during their full-time NS to train and participate in major competitions. One of my good friends is Andrew Phua, a rugby player in his youth. He was also in the national team.”
“In recent years, MCYS has been increasing the emphasis on youth development to nurture our young sporting talents. I share the view that the Singapore Sailing Federation has done a great job. They have a system in the schools and within their NSA to build the pipeline up for young talents to be groomed and to inject young blood into the national team. Sir, we have also increased our funding for youth development in team sports because we believe team sports can bond the nation, build team spirit and ensure people-to-people interaction and character development. Team sports, such as football and water polo, also get an in increase in funding because these sports resonates strongly with and help bond the community. The Government does not interfere with the governance of the sports. We leave it to the fraternity to elect their own office bearers to govern. But we do take a careful view of what the association does because it will affect the annual funding. If the fraternity has cause for concern and mediation is needed, there is always the alternate dispute resolution for sports that is available to handle such cases. Mediation can be done through SSC under the department called Alternate Dispute Resolution (ADR) for Sports. They can approach ADR officers to help them. Several cases have been resolved through that channel. In 2010, we introduced multi-year planning and funding model to provide NSAs with greater stability and continuity in core aspects of sports development. We did this because we were trying to encourage the NSAs to have a long-term view to training and developing sporting talents. It is to develop the system, not just to import talents, so that no matter where the talents come from, they have a chance for success.”
“Through the Community Games and the Singapore National Games, we hope to catalyse the formation of more sports interest groups in the community, help residents to build friendships and bond. Another idea from the Sporting Culture Committee was the Satellite Centres for Sports Development. MCYS, SSC, MOE, the NSAs and all private organisations are collaborating to set up these centres to promote the growth of community sports and sports club. Young people, who want to learn about certain sports that the schools do not offer, can go to these centres to learn and continue to be trained in these sports. There will be seven centres for basketball, badminton, sailing, wrestling, archery, hockey and equestrian which have all been in operation since July/August 2010. Another 11 will be rolled out in Financial Year 2011. There are many stakeholders from the public, private and people sector involved in the development of sports. I share the Member, Ms Joscelin Yeo's desire for Singapore to become a more sporting nation. The NSAs are the governing bodies of the respective sports. Their leadership are elected into office. This ground-up process is an important feature of the sporting landscape where dedicated volunteers chart the direction of and contribute to the development of their chosen sports. The Government funds the NSAs through an annual grant, called the Annual NSA Grant Exercise (ANGE). Through ANGE, the Government's policy and priorities in sports are communicated through and achieved through the NSA programmes. The ANGE funding is targeted at nurturing sports development and sporting talents by supporting the NSAs in their programmes to assist their athletes to attain sporting success and to promote their sports.”
“Currently, there are 135 school fields and 45 indoor sports halls available for public use on weekends. Moving forward, an additional 30 to 50 school sports facilities will be opened in the next two to three years to cater to the sporting and recreational needs of residents. I hear the Member's view that the rates may have to be reviewed. We will continue to monitor and look at the rates to see whether they are affordable. We want to make sure that sports facilities continue to be accessible to the residents. Apart from these sports facilities, other spaces such as parks, fitness centres, basketball and futsal courts are available. Over the years, PA has also been actively promoting healthy lifestyle and community bonding through their activities. There are also several new efforts to grow our sporting culture, which can be traced back to the recommendations of the Sporting Culture Committee which I chaired in 2007. The Singapore National Games is one initiative that will be coming up soon. It will be held once in every two years and will be opened to Singaporeans representing their community and informal clubs. Members of Parliament can form their own clubs and we can all join the Singapore National Games as well. The first games will be held in 2012, with 10 sports to be played. We estimate 6,000 participants at the inaugural games. The People's Association recently revamped its Inter-Constituency Games and renamed it as Community Games to make it more community-centric. These community games will serve as the pre-qualifier to the Singapore National Games. So start training and start getting ready for Community Games to qualify for the Singapore National Games.”
“The second tier (Tier 2) consists of regional integrated town hubs that are one-stop sports and lifestyle destinations offering a spectrum of activities and services for the convenience of the community. By 2015, the first regional town hub will be ready in Tampines. Spearheaded by the People's Association, the Tampines Town Hub will include a performing arts theatre, a Community Club, a library, food and beverage outlets and a variety of recreational facilities, such as astro-turf football pitches, badminton and tennis courts, gymnasium and dance hall. More of such hubs are expected to be located island-wide to reach out to a larger community. At Tier 3, there will be an integrated and comprehensive network of community and lifestyle sports facilities distributed across Singapore to bring sports and wellness to the doorsteps of Singaporeans. The Singapore Sports Council (SSC) and the People's Association (PA) continue to work to provide relevant and upgraded facilities within each neighbourhood. These sports facilities, especially those that are more than 20 years old, will be rejuvenated, upgraded and redeveloped to keep them relevant, safe and to meet the changing needs of the community. Where possible, sports and community facilities are co-located or integrated with food and beverage (F&B) outlets and other facilities to provide more choices and convenience for residents. Some examples of Tier 3 facilities include Senja-Cashew Community Club and Sports and Recreation Complex (SRC) in Bukit Panjang, Anchorvale CC and SRC in Sengkang and the upcoming Kampong Chai Chee CC and SRC in Bedok. In partnership with the Ministry of Education, SSC will expand the dual-use scheme to open more school fields and indoor sports halls for public use outside school hours.”
“As part of this environment, we provide affordable and accessible facilities to cater to different sporting lifestyles and aspirations, so that all Singaporeans can participate. Mr Seah Kian Peng had asked about sports facilities to promote a sporting culture and wellness. I am pleased to inform the House that MCYS and the Singapore Sports Council (SSC) are working on the Sports Facilities Master Plan to optimise the landscape of sports and recreation facilities for the next 20 years. This aim is to support Singapore's sporting objectives of sports excellence, high participation and a vibrant sports industry. Mr Seah should continue to play by the side of the field, which I do as well and bringing the kids together, please continue to do that. I am not sure why someone stopped him. I would have done the same because I have been doing it every week. So, we encourage more of such sporting activities, even along the side. There will be three tiers of sports facilities to meet various needs. At Tier 1, we need to create an ecosystem at the Kallang Sports City around major events, sports industry, elite athletes and community participation. There will be world-class facilities capable of hosting major and international events, with the Singapore Sports Hub as a premier venue for sports and lifestyle events. There will also be a vibrant sports business community with sports lifestyle and entertainment zones, flagship and concept stores, and research and development centres. Upcoming facilities will also include a tennis academy and a centre court that can host top-tier international professional tennis tour events.”
“We have invested almost $80 million over the last five years in the Sports School and will invest a further $20 million for financial year 2011. We place great emphasis on youth development in our annual funding support to National Sports Associations (NSAs) as well as many of the other additional funding that we give to the NSAs. Recently, Pele – probably everybody would know him, he is a soccer legend, one of the best soccer players in the world – came to Singapore and made a speech. There was a quote that I thought was memorable. He said, "It's up to the athletes themselves." He could become the best because he went into any soccer field feeling that he was not the best, and he always had to prove himself – every single time, every single game. I think that is the attitude that we need from our athletes – to go into the pitch, into the field, into playing the game, knowing that they are not best and they have to continue to work hard. The foreign-born athletes come here as sparring partners and they are here to raise standards and help them to improve. We continue to place emphasis on our own local-born athletes because they bear the hopes of our nation when they don our colours and represent us and we should identify and support them, share their wins and losses. It is not about winning medals, it is about uniting to root for Team Singapore. I am glad that both Mr Calvin Cheng and Ms Joscelin Yeo share with me that passion is what it takes in sports. And I share the joy of Mr Calvin Cheng as a Liverpool fan over their 3-1 victory over Manchester United. Besides sporting excellence, we also recognise the social capital and nation building value of sports. To this end, we will continue to build a strong sporting culture amongst our people.”
“Sir, sports is a unifying force. It builds strong social capital. It strengthens our sense of national pride. We have seen how all Singaporeans came together to cheer for our athletes in the Youth Olympic Games. So, I agree with the Member, Mr Calvin Cheng, that sports is tribalism at work. It can and should bring the national tribe together. We are what we are today, even in the area of sports, because we were open to talent and gave fair opportunities based on the principle of meritocracy. Ms Joscelin Yeo and Mr Calvin Cheng believe that foreign sports talents are given additional support at the expense of local-born athletes. But being a national athlete, Ms Joscelin Yeo should know that all talented and committed national athletes are given strong support to help them attain their full potential, whether they are local or foreign-born. An athlete's original place of birth has no bearing on the level of support he or she receives. In fact, there are only 33 foreign-born athletes out of the 994 athletes in the national squads. They are small in number, but these foreign-born athletes have helped to raise standards by providing valuable training, sparring and competition opportunities for our local-born talents. That said, my Ministry places considerable emphasis on grooming local talent through our youth sports development programme. A testament to this is the Singapore Sports School and its students such as Daren Choy who won us a gold medal in sailing at the Asian Youth Games 2009 and Isabelle Li who won us a silver medal in table tennis at the Singapore Youth Olympic Games. More recently, Isabelle's seventh career singles title at the Italian Junior and Cadet Open under-18 girls' final proves that we do have local young talent.”
“I do not think I will call it "breakthrough" but I believe Members have raised the possibility of having lifts on overhead bridges, especially for the elderly. And I believe the Member, Er Lee Bee Wah, has raised this a couple of times. We are already exploring the possibility of retrofitting selected overhead bridges in the immediate vicinity of MRT stations with lifts. We will share more of our feasibility studies soon and the next steps that we will take. INTEREST RATES CHARGED BY LICENSED MONEYLENDERS 18. Mdm Halimah Yacob asked the Minister for Law whether the Ministry will consider introducing caps on the amount of interest that licensed moneylenders can levy in view of the exorbitant rates that some are charging their borrowers since the law was liberalised in 2008.”
“However, the retailers have now received clear warning that MDA will be looking closely at their exclusive arrangements in the future, and that there will be serious consequences if they are found to have flouted the Measure. We believe the cross-carriage initiative will benefit both consumers and the industry. However, the full benefits will only come about in the longer term, as existing contracts expire and new exclusive contracts, if any, come under this Measure. MDA will work closely with the industry to effect a smooth implementation of the initiative to realise these benefits.”
“MDA has been in close contact and consultation with the industry since the announcement of the Measure. Some content providers were concerned that the Measure would force them to sell content to parties that they were not willing to contract with, or in a format that would have compromised their intellectual property rights protection, or a requirement to unbundle their channels. This is a misunderstanding which requires some clarification. The Measure does not in any way prohibit local pay TV retailers from entering into exclusive arrangements with content providers. Neither does it require the exclusive licensee to sub-license or resell the exclusive content to other pay TV retailers. In addition, the Measure is designed to apply to content agreements in a prospective manner, and continues to provide retailers and content providers with the commercial flexibility to bundle or package content in ways that best meet consumer needs. MDA has clarified this in its subsequent consultations, and will continue to do so with the industry as necessary. I would like to assure Members that Singapore is fully committed to its obligations in intellectual property treaties and other international agreements, and that two external legal firms engaged by MDA had both advised that the Measure is not in breach of any of our obligations. With regard to pay TV retailers who entered into long-term exclusive content arrangements before the Measure was effected, I understand that MDA had examined specific content agreements to assess if there were any evidence of misconduct. Upon careful review of the available information and evidence, MDA has decided that there is insufficient evidence to warrant any formal action.”
“The mandatory cross-carriage measure – which I shall refer to as the Measure in short – was effected on 12th March 2010 to address the severe degree of content fragmentation in the Singapore pay TV market, with most pay TV channels signed up on an exclusive basis by pay TV retailers. Such a situation resulted in increased inconvenience and attendant costs for consumers as well as significant barriers to entry for new entrants. Since 12th March 2010, the Media Development Authority (MDA) has conducted two consultations to seek feedback from the industry and to address their concerns on the implementation details of this Measure. In taking due care to address these concerns, MDA will be launching a third round of consultation in early 2011 before implementing active cross carriage by the first half of this year. MDA continues to engage stakeholders on this issue and will carefully consider all feedback in developing its policy and implementation positions for the Measure. With regard to the benefits from the Measure, consumers can expect to enjoy a wider choice of content without the inconvenience of having to switch set-top boxes and re-wire their TVs each time exclusive content changes hand. Various academics and analysts have expressed their belief that the Measure would positively impact the pay TV market and generate net gains for consumers as well as the industry. MDA has also engaged external consultants to conduct two economic modelling assessments, both of which concluded that content providers and retailers would benefit from a wider distribution of their content. With the Measure in place, we expect to have an even more vibrant pay TV market with more choices and convenience for the consumers.”
“Currently, there are no rules particularly specific to bicycle tracks or bicycle lanes that we have built so far. But we are definitely looking into it to see how the rules can be applied. As I have said, I do not encourage motorised bicycles on bike lanes because motorised bicycles are able to maintain a constant speed and, if they meet a speed of 20 km to 25 km, which is still within the speed limit, for me, personally, having been an experienced road user, I think that could pose a certain danger. So I do not encourage that. Whether or not to put in certain rules, we will be reviewing it to see what are the things that we could do to help ensure the safety of all the pedestrians and passengers. CONTENT CROSS-CARRIAGE INITIATIVE FOR PAY TELEVISION (Progress) 12. Mr Zaqy Mohamad asked the Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts (a) what is the progress of the Ministry's content cross-carriage initiative for pay-television; (b) what are the Ministry's projections on the cost benefits to consumers; (c) whether the Ministry can share how it plans to address the industry's concerns on this initiative going against free trade; and (d) whether the investigations on service providers who inked long-term contracts to avoid cross-carriage regulations in the short term has concluded and, if so, what were the findings. RAdm [NS] Lui Tuck Yew: Mr Speaker, Sir, I thank the Member of Parliament for his question on Media Development Authority’s cross-carriage initiative. I will first revisit the rationale for introducing this initiative and provide an update on the developments.”
“There is a difference – one is, of course, pedaling and the other one is motorised. When one pedals, one probably cannot maintain a constant speed over a longer range of time. For the other, because it is motorised, one could maintain a similar speed over a longer range of time. We are looking into it. As you know, we have started to build infrastructure for bicycle lanes and dedicated tracks along the pavements. I do not encourage motorised bicycles to be on these dedicated bike lanes, as they should be on public roads. They should not be on bicycle lanes. There will still be a lot of pedestrians walking on footways and sometimes they could cross over to the bike lanes. So I do discourage motorised bicycles to be on those lanes. We will constantly review and look at what other rules that we could put in place for those bicycle lanes. This will be work in progress.”
“As a cyclist myself, I can only offer my personal views as to what is the root cause. Having cycled for many years, I think it is still a culture that needs to be developed in terms of accommodating different road users, especially those vulnerable ones like cyclists. Cyclists themselves must bear the responsibility when accidents occur. I know that sometimes they go at certain speeds that are not conducive to safety. I believe that it is not just LTA working on it. We need the community leaders; we need the Traffic Police department, and they must all work together. All these stakeholders are coming together. We should focus mainly on three areas: infrastructure, like dedicated bike tracks, which we are doing today, as well as education and public campaigns. All these efforts have to go to the heartlands as well. Lastly, the enforcement must come in because there will still be some cyclists who will disobey. We need to send a clear message and enforce it. Harsh penalties are necessary. We have plans to go to the different communities and heartlands to educate the cyclists and motorised bicycle cyclists as well because I think this is necessary. As a continuing effort, I urge support from all the Members here.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, we can highlight that to the public transport operators for them to consider. They will have to make transport more convenient for those in need, so we will put that referral forward. WORKFARE TRAINING SCHEME (Beneficiaries and payout amount) 18. Mdm Halimah Yacob asked the Minister for Manpower (a) if he will provide an update on the Workfare Training Scheme; (b) how many workers have benefited from the scheme and what is their profile; and (c) how much has been paid out under the scheme including the special awards for those who have completed a specific number of skills courses; and (d) what types of courses have they been attending.”
“Thank you for the reminder. The Singapore Sports Council will take the lead to organise the Games including the leagues, and People's Association will help to co-organise this because People's Association will have links to the sports clubs and the network. At the same time, we have to figure out how to align with the Intercon Games. We feel that to achieve this, for the Singapore Biennial Games to take off, we think we can set the target for the year of 2012 to have the first Biennial Games. In 2011, we can have the mini-leagues for youths, younger adults, working adults, seniors and all, to encourage every one of all age groups to come and participate. With that, Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I support the motion.”
“We are serious about the YOG legacy because we believe that this is one of the ways to preserve it. So when do we think that could actually get these Games going? This takes effort. It takes different stakeholders to come together to organise the Games. It is not going to be easy. It needs the support of every Member in the House, it needs the support of schools because of the facilities, and it needs the support of community groups.”
“And we do it every two years. Why every two years? Because the Biennial Games has to be organised. While I would say that it may not be of the scale of an Olympic Games but it must be of a reasonable celebration of sorts so that people would enjoy the whole experience and it could be over a period of time, not as short as two weeks, but could be over a period of time like a season. We were thinking that if, let us say, it is held once every two years, what would happen during the lull period? It could possibly be mini leagues which means that while you form your clubs, you can have participation in the leagues in those alternate years in preparation for the big Games. Those leagues are different leagues of different sports events and you participate in those leagues. Thereafter you participate in the Biennial Games for the real competition. That is to keep everyone going and to keep up the sporting lifestyle. If we can put this plan in place and execute it, that means that the sporting calendar would have to change. Currently, the sporting calendar has so many events – international events, local events. One of the key events that is close to what Members have proposed is actually the Intercon Games. The Intercon Games would likely have to take a different form, shape and size from the way that is being organised. Maybe in future it will take a different form, so much so that there may not be a Intercon Games because it could be part of the Biennial Games. We would have to see how we can align with the other competitions to get this Biennial Games going. When do we think it will happen? I am answering the questions you have not asked yet. I am pre-empting the questions so that I can give Members the assurance that we are in support of it and we have some plans.”
“Mainly there will be some form of competition so that people will prepare for it all the way through, to look to the Biennial Games and participate in it and come together as a team. We do not want them to participate individually. We can have a Singapore Biennial Games broken down in a competition format of different age groups – from youth to the seniors and the very seniors, working adults included. They can also come in as clubs which means that they come in under the banner of clubs. These could be informal clubs such as alumni groups, or they could be country clubs or they could be constituency sports clubs. So, the club culture can be developed. Mr Zagy Mohamad was correct that many other countries – sporting nations – have a very strong club culture. And it starts from the club culture. Some clubs do better than the rest and produce elite athletes. Naturally that is a way to bring everyone together and to be able to play together on a regular basis; have that kind of sports activities organised by the clubs and for the club members. We are not talking about expensive clubs but clubs that are accessible; that you can form yourself. Personally, I have also set up a club that today is a few thousand strong and we continue to train together for the sports that we love. Those are possibilities. Alumni groups are a way that the clubs can come through. Maybe MPs can form a club. I am heartened by the fact that so many of the Members are supporting sports and I am not surprised that the MP soccer team has also a track record of winning matches. I am glad to know that. We can form that soccer club and maybe participate in this Biennial Games in future. Using this club culture, we can actually build it up and create vibrancy.”
“It is something that may be able to bring Singaporeans from all walks of life and different ages to come forward. I have this vision, this plan, this concept that I would like to share with Members of the House. We can have the Singapore Biennial Games and, once in two years, we can include the Olympic sports. There are 26 Olympic sports. I agree with the Member, Mr Zagy Mohamad, that not all 26 sports will be well taken up or you probably would not as many participants as you wish. There are some sports events, some sports that are not mainstream and not exactly very popular or well followed in Singapore yet. Maybe in time to come, we can incorporate those. Maybe starting off with 10, 12 or even 15 different sports events. Who are the participants? That is the most important question. The participants would be Singaporeans of different age groups: from the youth to the young adults, to the working adults, to the middle-aged, to the seniors and to the, well, older than the seniors. What are our objectives? We set a few objectives. First, is to be able to use sports to bond the community, get the community active again. If Members remember, when the National Stadium was first built, what was the objective? It was to build a rugged society to make sure that Singaporeans are kept healthy through sports. That was our objective. If we organise a Biennial Games, that has to be the main objective – to bond the community, make sure that we inculcate right sports culture for a healthy lifestyle. Secondly, it is for participation. We want to increase participation and make sure all the sports events and the competition categories are accessible to all. We want to make sure that we encourage participation. Thirdly, would be the competition.”
“This proposal of the Singapore Biennial Games is very timely because we have to figure out what it is that will develop our Singapore culture more deeply as well as keep the Singapore sporting scene vibrant; and also to encourage the community and all Singaporeans to make sports a part of their lifestyle and part of their family activities. I might not be able to address all of the concerns, but I think one thing is for sure. All the points that were brought up by the Members are relevant and are the critical success factors for Singapore as a sporting nation moving forward. We have to figure out how to utilise all the hardware. That was one of the main questions. Today in Singapore, compared to other countries we have our stadiums, swimming pools, indoor sports halls, even schools facilities, that are open for dual use in the heartlands and in the city area. Compared to the other nations, we actually have a greater number of facilities per citizen; and I would say that we have a sports culture that is waiting to blossom and it is waiting to be displayed more comprehensively and more completely. Maybe this Singapore Biennial Games will, in some way or other, help us to show that Singaporeans are actually sportsmen in nature and at heart. We have put in some consideration about the Biennial Games that was proposed – the form, shape and size that it can take. At this point in time, the sporting calendar, as Members know, is quite full. Every single weekend we have at least one or two major sporting events, and that is not counting those that take place in the heartlands or organised by the Members' own constituency sports clubs. But the Singapore Biennial Games is an idea which we thought is feasible and possible.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I would, first, like to thank all the Members especially the Member Mr Zagy Mohamad for tabling this motion to propose a Biennial Games. I think it is quite timely, especially when the Youth Olympic Games (YOG) has just concluded and probably many people would be wondering how we are going to fully utilise some of our facilities; not forgetting that for the YOG, we did not build many new facilities, maybe only the Bike Park trail at Tampines as well as equestrian which will be utilised for some of the plans that we have already put in place. For the YOG, there were many moments that were memorable, especially those of our athletes with their great fighting spirit. For the three Members – Mr Zagy Mohamad, Mr Michael Palmer and Ms Irene Ng – some of you joined me at the football game, especially between Singapore and Montenegro and Haiti; and also at the two games that they played against the same opponents. The athletes showed the fighting spirit and the football boys at 15 years of age showed that they were gentlemen on and off the field. I think that is great fighting spirit. I would say for the first time for awhile, I have not heard the Singapore National Anthem sang so passionately. Maybe the only other time is at National Day, but it was really passionate before the Games started. At the same time, I have not seen so much of cheering; brought back memories of the Kallang Roar! So, I think, sports really is an activity that can bond Singaporeans, galvanise our nation together.”
“But as Members can see year-on-year, annual funding for NSAs has been on the rise. Even indirectly, they get the benefits of other types of sports services that the Sports Council supplied. If we look at the direct funding and indirect benefits through the SSC services, if we calculate the total, there is an increase. I am very sure that STTA does get an increase in funding.”
“As the Minister has mentioned, we have a Youth Sports Development Committee that is chaired by Mr Masagos and I. The Committee prepared the Youth Olympic Games athletes for the YOG. They have exceeded our target, in terms of medal count and also performance. As Members may be aware, we only yesterday made an announcement of what we intend to do in the future. It is to make sure that we establish a pipeline, a process of grooming and developing these promising athletes and even those who have not been able to represent Singapore at this time in any of the international games, but may be identified later – those late bloomers – that we can train them within the school system, subsequently if they go to the Sports School, they can benefit from the curriculum and after that, possibly going through the process within the Sports Institute. This would have to be a joint effort between NSAs, Sports Council, Sports School as well as Sports Institute so that we make sure that we track their performance from a very young age all the way until they graduate from school. Even when they are working, they can continue their journey as a sportsman. After that, we must also ensure that we take care of their post-sports career. I think the key question that the Member asked was how much. The budget is a work in progress. I cannot tell her a specific amount today because it is a big massive project. As Members know, for YOG athletes, through the Committee of Youth Sports Development, we had budgeted $6.2 million to prepare the athletes for the YOG and another $2.5 million were set aside for the satellite centres for all Olympic sports, to be set up all over Singapore, so that young people can learn about the sports, can learn to play and then subsequently identify them.”
“As far as education for motorists is concerned, I agree with the Member that it is not just focused on our cyclists and making sure that they behave but also whether the motorists can accommodate and co-exist with cyclists. I think for this, we will work with the Traffic Police and look at the other different ways that we can educate the public – whether to have more safety awareness campaigns to alert the motorists about cyclists on the road. We will do the best we can in terms of putting up signs. CYCLING OFFENCES 10. Er Lee Bee Wah asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs (a) how many cyclists were booked by the Police for cycling at night without any headlight and back reflector light during the past six months; (b) what were the fines meted out to these offenders; and (c) what is the fine for repeat offenders. 11. Mdm Cynthia Phua asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs (a) whether he will elaborate on the education programme against cycling on road pavements for the general public and foreign workers; (b) what constitutes a proper bicycle for night cycling; (c) whether summonses have been issued to cyclists for accidents with pedestrians while cycling on pavements; (d) does the Police classify such cases as Non-Seizable Offences and does the pedestrian have to lodge the case with the Magistrate of the Subordinate Court; (e) out of the 700 summonses issued in 2009 for cycling on pavements, how many were issued to foreign workers; and (f) how many of these summonses issued to foreign workers have been paid. The Senior Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Home Affairs (Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M) (for the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs): Sir, may I have your permission to take Question Nos.”
“Sir, we have also studied the cities that the Member has mentioned, whether it is Paris or London. On trips that MOT have made, we have looked at the different road infrastructure and how they facilitate cycling. The cities face similar situations and they also have made their own trade-offs. To accommodate dedicated cycling tracks or lanes on the road, you would have to give up a certain space for other motorists and other usage. We will continue to look at other possible ways – whether to put up more effective signs or whether to locate the space for cycling on the road or on a track. Although conditions could be different from city to city, we will look at what can be customised for Singapore's environment. At this point in time, we do not just look at the five cycling towns and experiment with these. What we try to do with the five cycling towns is to look at the "soft" issues, which are education and the clinics that we are conducting across the different towns as well as certain codes of practice that the community leaders can provide us with. So we take a multi-pronged approach – we will look at not just the infrastructure in the different cities that the Member has mentioned but also the education programmes and how we actually enforce it. In Tampines, for example, with the bye-laws, they were able to enforce it at a reasonable level on the ground through the Town Councils. We have to look at whether that model of operations can actually be implemented in the other areas. It is the same for education, and infrastructure, in terms of building dedicated tracks.”
“The safety of all road users, whether they are drivers, cyclists or pedestrians, is a shared responsibility. All road users will have to play their part by following the traffic rules and regulations, and exercise mutual accommodation and due consideration for each other.”
“These towns were selected as they had favourable local characteristics – a relatively compact geography, suitable infrastructure and land available for the cycling tracks, and also strong support for cycling. LTA is also working with the Safe Cycling Task Force (SCTF) to identify frequently used cycling routes outside of these five towns. Signs alerting motorists of the presence of cyclists have been installed along these routes and the signs have been found to be useful. LTA will continue to work with the SCTF to identify the need for similar signs at other locations. To better coordinate these plans, and to allow each community to learn from the experience of others, the Ministry of Transport set up a Cycling Facilitation Committee (CFC) in June 2009, of which I am the Chairman. The aim of the CFC is to establish a common, community-led approach to tackle the "soft" issues related to the implementation of dedicated cycling paths in these five towns as well as best practices to facilitate cycling for intra-town trips. Currently, grassroots leaders from these five towns are represented on the CFC. Other relevant governmental and non-governmental agencies such as LTA, NParks, HDB, Police and representatives from the Safe Cycling Task Force are also in the Committee. The Committee is working to establish a common code of practice for safe cycling, public education efforts and enforcement against reckless cycling behaviour in towns that want to facilitate cycling. We should see the efforts in these five cycling towns as piloting new ideas and approaches from which we can gain useful experience and lessons for possible wider implementation as we evolve our plans to facilitate cycling.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the Land Transport Authority, together with other relevant agencies (including the Traffic Police), has been working to create a safer riding environment for cyclists. Given Singapore’s land constraints, our policy is to optimise our available road and pedestrian space to meet the diverse needs of pedestrians, motorists, cyclists as well as other groups of commuters and road users. To do this, we have to balance the needs of the rising number of cyclists against that of other road users and pedestrians, while cyclists, drivers and pedestrians have to exercise mutual accommodation and due consideration for each other. One key aspect to promoting safety of cyclists on roads is public education. Having recognised the vulnerability of cyclists on the roads, Traffic Police, as well as several agencies (community and grassroots leaders and the Safe Cycling Task Force), has been conducting road safety talks and exhibitions in schools, workplaces and neighbourhoods to promote safe cycling habits. Also, based on the observation that many foreign workers had opted for cycling as a preferred mode of transport, Traffic Police has since been working closely with various foreign dormitories, corporate partners and organisations that employ a large number of foreign workers to promote safe cycling among their workers. With regard to infrastructure, LTA is currently working with community stakeholders and the Traffic Police to roll out a $43-million programme to design and construct dedicated cycling paths in five selected HDB Towns as part of a pilot scheme, namely, Tampines, Pasir Ris, Taman Jurong, Sembawang and Yishun.”
“Sir, sometimes I feel that we do not have enough Singapore talents that dare to dream, be different, willing to step out of their comfort zones to pursue a passion or step into an unchartered territory. That makes the talent very scarce here and it is a scarcity. As such, these are precious gems that we cannot afford to lose if we find them. And I think SOTA is within that unchartered territory, trying to nurture these talents, and it is an excellent opportunity for students to mix studies and also to maximise their talent to the fullest. Such talents need time to nurture and their skills need time to hone. I had the first-time experience of watching a performance by a SOTA student. Her name is Sherry Low, she played the piano and she sang as well. The power of her vocals was fantastic. She reminded me of Alicia Keys. I thought that if all students in SOTA had that kind of talent and ability, I think we should help them to realise their dreams. I want to know from the Ministry what can we do to let them continue with their pursuits after they graduate from SOTA so that they can continue and retain their talent. Maybe, in the future, we will see one that wins a Grammy and also makes a good living.”
“I will address the question on how long the lifts would take. I will leave my Minister to talk about the tender. We intend to complete the study by April. Once the study is done, we will look at the other issues. As I have mentioned before, there is the issue of costs, maintenance and replacements. All these need time to sort out. But the study itself will be completed in April.”
“I have actually addressed it earlier. We take the position that the public transport operators will have to decide on that. 3.00 pm But like I said, we strongly urge the public transport operators to consider those who are in need, and whether they could cross-subsidise some of these groups. Nevertheless, like the Minister has mentioned, we target those that are in need. We issue targeted help through vouchers, ComCare funds and other assistance schemes. That is the position we take today.”
“I note the studies and the situation overseas and how they treat the disabled as well as the elderly. We will take them into consideration as we do our planning going forward. At this time, the position that we have taken is that we will let the public transport operators decide. I do understand how the other countries are doing it and we will take note and review them. As for the canvassing by the disabled group, I would say that they can make their request. If LTA has the data and the statistics, we could provide those to help these groups compile a study, and submit the study to the public transport operators for them to consider. I do not think that has been done before but we can always look at the current situation as well as the past year and see if any changes have taken place, including whether there had been an increase in the number of disabled commuters or the elderly, for them to propose it again to the public transport operators. I think this is as much as we can help with – to provide some of the information for them to compile the study. As for the outcome, if the Member could help to repeat the question again –”